Drawer pull

ABSTRACT

An improved drawer pull and method of assembly, the pull utilizing a support having rearwardly-mounted, axially-extending ears which cam against a cut-away portion of the bail of the pull so as to cause the support to pivot during assembly into coaxial alignment with the bail with the axle of the bail mounted in a bearing slot in the support. The ears and the extremities of the cut-away portion serve to limit the possible rotation of the bail on the support once the support is attached by screws to the drawer. The bail axle and the support bearing slot can be either short so as to require two of each, or the axle and slot can extend across the full length of the support.

1 July4, 1972 [541 DRAWER PULL [72] Inventors: Edwin Van Ryn, Walker; Edwin V.

Driesenga, Holland, both of Mich.

Keeler Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

[22] Filed: Dec.4,l969

[21] Appl.No.: 882,042

[73] Assignee:

339,894 4/1886 Jones ..|6/l26 2,129,095 9/1938 Leland 16/126 Primary Examiner- Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Doris C. Troutman Attorney-Price, Heneveld, Huizenga 8: Cooper [57] ABSTRACT An improved drawer pull and method of assembly, the pull utilizing a support having rearwardly-mounted, axially-extending ears which cam against a cut-away portion of the bail of the pull so as to cause the support to pivot during assembly into coaxial alignment with the bail with the axle of the bail mounted in a bearing slot in the support. The ears and the extremities of the cut-away portion serve to limit the possible rotation of the bail on the support once the support is attached by screws to the drawer The bail axle and the support bearing slot can be either short so as to require two of each, or the axle and slot can extend across the full length of the support.

10 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 4 m2 sum 1 BF 5 INVENTOR) Ada/0V 1/19 EVA} FIG. 3

PAIENIEDJuL 4 m2 SHEET 2 BF 3 INVENTORS DW)N VAN RY DWIN J, DRIE mfl m6Z42 W N SENGA ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJUL 41m 3,673,634 sum 30F 3 RNVENTORS EDWIN VAN RYN EDWIN J DRIESENGA ATTORNEYS nruwan PULL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Drawer pulls have been provided heretofore which allow the support and the bail to be manufactured separately, their assembly occuring prior to attachment to the drawer. The attachment is accomplished in such a way as to prevent the hail from becoming removed from the support after the support is secured to the drawer. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. Re26,0l9, assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a barrel-shaped drawer pull designed to stand away from the drawer. The pull comprises a bail and support which are assembled only immediately prior to the attachment of the pull to the drawer. The bail and the sup ort utilize cooperating parts so that the assembly is accomplished by a ready and quick camming action, this particular method of assembly also being a part of the invention.

With regard to the structure, the invention provides an improved bail and support wherein the bail and the support include cooperating means for camming the support into coaxial alignment with the bail during the assembly of the bail and support. The camming means on the bail includes a stop which also serves as a means for limiting the upward pivoting of the bail on the support when the pull is assembled.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a drawer pull having a bail and a support which are easily and readily assembled together by a mechanical intert'rt, and to provide a method of so joining the parts of the drawer pull.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bail and support assembly in which the two parts are assembled through a camming action which then restricts the movement of the bail on the support after the support has been fixed to a drawer.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reference to the following drawings and detailed discussion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a front elevational view of a drawer pull constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines lI-II ofFIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the support;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the initial step in assembling the drawer pull;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the position of the bail and the support after the support has been rotated through 90 from the position shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the bail in its stopped upper position;

FIGS. 7 through 9 are partially schematic, fragmentary sectional views similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the assembly of the support and the bail, FIG. 9 representing the point of assembly also shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. I0 is a rear elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the support;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the support shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XIIXII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the bail utilized in the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 10 through 12; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention relates to a drawer pull conventionally mounted on the front of a drawer 12, the pull comprising a support 14 mounted by means such as screws (not shown) projecting through the drawer I2, and a bail 30 having a handle grip 31 pivotally mounted upon the support 14. The screws which mount the support [4 are threaded into cylindrical projections 16 at the rear of the support in the case of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 9. As used herein, "rear and "front" refer to the drawer pull as it is commonly viewed when assembled.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, and as disclosed in FIGS. I through 9, the support 14 and the bail 30 are provided with the following cooperating structure:

Each end I! of the support 14 (FIG. 3) is provided with a bearing slot 22. The slot 22 of the support extends from an end 23 at the center axis of the support 14, generally rearwardly to the rear of the support I4, parallel to the projections 16. The slot 22 cooperates with a stub axle 24 projecting from a flat face 25 on each of the opposing ends 26 of the bail (FIG. 2). Thus, the cooperating slots 22 and the stub axles 24 allow the support 14 and the ball 30 to pivot with respect to each other, when amembled together.

Projecting from each of the flat surfaces defining the ends I8 of the support 14 is an car 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The cooperating feature of the bail 30 is a stepped-down cut-away portion 33 on the ends 26 (FIG. 2), comprising a cam surface 34 immediately adjacent each flat face 25, the cam surface facing towards the rear of the bail. The cam surface 34 is defined by two stops 36 and 38, between which a generally circular shoulder 40 is formed. The ear 32 is formed so as to fit within the cut-away 33 and so as to rotate between the two stops 36 and 38 closely adjacent to the shoulder 40, while the support 14 and the bail 30 rotate with respect to each other by means of the interengaged slots 22 and stub axles 24.

ASSEMBLY Referring now to FIGS. 2, and 4 through 9, to assemble the support so as to be coaxially aligned and pivoted upon the ball 30, the support is brought into contact with the bail with the rear of the support defined by the projections 16 facing toward the front of the bail (FIGS. 4 and 7), the cars 32 contacting the stops 36. At this point, each axle 24 just starts to enter its slot 22, as shown in dotted line, FIG. 7. Rotation in the direction of the arrow 50 (FIG. 4) pivots the rear of the support upwardly so as to turn the car 32 in its abutment against stop 36 (FIG. 7) and so as to cam the stub axles 24 into the slots 22 (FIG. 8). The carnming action is completed when the axle seats at the end 23 of the slot, this occurring when the slot 22 is approximately vertical (FIGS. 5 and 9). Thereafter, pivoting is continued as indicated by the arrow 52, FIGS. 5 and 9, until the projections 16 extend to the rear of the ball 30, during which time the stub axles remain coaxially aligned with the ends 23 of the slots 22. This completes the positioning of the bail upon the axis of the support I4. Also, the pivoting in the direction of the arrow 52 is terminated by the ears 32 abutting against the stops 38 (FIG. 2). When so assembled, the support can be mounted upon the drawer. Afier the mounting upon the drawer, the ears 32 occupy a fixed position with respect to the drawer I2 as shown in FIG. 6. When not mounted to a drawer, the bail would tend to come off the sup port upon further clockwise rotation as shown in FIG. 6, the drawer surface I2 prevents that from happening when the pull and drawer are finally assembled. Downward pivoting is limited by the stop 3 (FIG. 2). Accordingly, the handle grip 31 of the bail is prevented, by the stops, from bang'ng against the drawer. Upward pivoting of the bail 30 upon the support 14 by means of the stub axles 24 can occur only until the stops 36 abut against the ears 32, thereby limiting the upward pi voting as shown in FIG. 6.

It will be readily appreciated that the manner in which the support end 18 interfits with the end 26 of the bail provides a simple and quick method of assembly, alter which no assembly structure is readily apparent to the observer of the drawer (see FIG. I).

ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS FIGS. through 14 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein the bail is a continuous loop rather than a broken loop, and the support is modified to accommodate an axle extending the full length of the support. Parts similar to those previously described bear the same reference numerals to which the suffix a has been added. Thus, each end of the support 140 is flattened at 180 and is provided with an ear 32a positioned similarly to the ear in the previous embodiment. To accommodate an axle of the bail which extends the full length of the support, a slot 60 is utilized extending from end to end of the support 140, the slot extending from a bottom surface 230, which is centered in the support, to the rear (FIG. 12). Instead of utilizing two projections to mount screws, the support 140 is provided with plates 62 and 64 mounted on the rear of the support, the plates having screw holes 66 drilled therein for accommodating the screws which attach the support 140 to the drawer.

Similarly, the bail 30a is provided, as in the previous embodiment, with a cam surface 340 which terminates in two stops 36a and 38a. Unlike the previous embodiment, instead of having a broken loop forming the bail and utilizing two stub axles, the loop of the bail is complete and the support 14a pivots with respect to the bail by means of a straight axle 70 extending from one cam surface a to the other surface 250 (FIGS.13 and 14).

It will be readily appreciated that the support 14a and the bail 300 are assembled in the identical fashion as disclosed with the previous embodiment, the axle 70 being cammed into the slot 60 by the interaction of the ears 320 with the stops 36a. The steps and procedure are exactly the same, the sequence shown in FIGS. 7-9 applying here also. In this case, however, the screws mounting the support 140 to the drawer utilize the holes 66 in the plates rather than screw into two projections.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it will be apparent that equivalent structures can be devised within the scope of the invention. Thus, the particular artistic shape of the support 14 and of the ends 26 is of no consequence to this invention, other than the mechanical interfit which is provided between the support and the bail. Similarly, the entire bail 30 can have any one of a number of artistic shapes and still utilize the mechanical interfit with the support 14, as disclosed above. The screw holes 66 or projections 16 need not be the number shown, but can be any convenient number.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a drawer pull including a bail member attached to a drawer by means of a single support member to which said bail member is joined, said support member having means for pivoting the same relative to said bail member, the improvement comprising: one of said bail and support members having a pintle and the other member a guide means for slidably receiving said pintle during the assembly of said bail and support members; cooperating camming means offset from the pivotal axis of said members and located on said bail and support members; said camming means including an arcuate surface on one member and an car on the other member positioned to move along said surface during the pivotal movement of said bail member on said support member; said surface and ear effecting during the assembly of said bail and said support members and prior to the mounting of the support members on the drawer a camming action between said support and bail members to relatively position said support and bail members into a position wherein said bail member is pivoted on said support member, and means on said bail member for limiting the upward pivoting of said bail member on said support member when the pull is assembled.

2. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 1, wherein said camming surface of said camming means includes a cutawayfiprtjon on the rear of said bail. I

3. e Improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said cooperating camming means includes an ear on said sup port member, said ear engaging said cut-away portion to cam said support member into said pivotal position during assembly and to limit the upward pivoting of said bail when the pull is attached to the drawer.

4. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said cut-away portion terminates in a stop at each end, each stop cooperating with said support to limit the angular rotation of said bail member and said support member relative to each other.

5. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 4, and further including an ear on said support member, said ear engaging said stops.

6. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said bail member is a broken loop with two stub axles, and said support member includes a bearing slot at each end designed to accommodate said axles.

7. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 6, wherein said slots are rearward-facing.

8. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said bail member is a complete loop and said support member includes a bearing slot extending its full length designed to accommodate a portion of said loop.

9. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 8, wherein said loop portion is a straight axle.

10. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 8, wherein said slot is rearward facing. 

1. In a drawer pull including a bail member attached to a drawer by means of a single support member to which said bail member is joined, said support member having means for pivoting the same relative to saiD bail member, the improvement comprising: one of said bail and support members having a pintle and the other member a guide means for slidably receiving said pintle during the assembly of said bail and support members; cooperating camming means offset from the pivotal axis of said members and located on said bail and support members; said camming means including an arcuate surface on one member and an ear on the other member positioned to move along said surface during the pivotal movement of said bail member on said support member; said surface and ear effecting during the assembly of said bail and said support members and prior to the mounting of the support members on the drawer a camming action between said support and bail members to relatively position said support and bail members into a position wherein said bail member is pivoted on said support member, and means on said bail member for limiting the upward pivoting of said bail member on said support member when the pull is assembled.
 2. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 1, wherein said camming surface of said camming means includes a cut-away portion on the rear of said bail.
 3. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said cooperating camming means includes an ear on said support member, said ear engaging said cut-away portion to cam said support member into said pivotal position during assembly and to limit the upward pivoting of said bail when the pull is attached to the drawer.
 4. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said cut-away portion terminates in a stop at each end, each stop cooperating with said support to limit the angular rotation of said bail member and said support member relative to each other.
 5. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 4, and further including an ear on said support member, said ear engaging said stops.
 6. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said bail member is a broken loop with two stub axles, and said support member includes a bearing slot at each end designed to accommodate said axles.
 7. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 6, wherein said slots are rearward-facing.
 8. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 2, wherein said bail member is a complete loop and said support member includes a bearing slot extending its full length designed to accommodate a portion of said loop.
 9. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 8, wherein said loop portion is a straight axle.
 10. The improved drawer pull as defined in claim 8, wherein said slot is rearward facing. 